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30 ' .-On Pdysiogizoiizjy. V
hair deep voice; large extremities, discernable incazhuman creature, dci
)
note the srenrrth and character of that noble animal; while, the; Slcndcf
V‘ D ‘ . . . v
extremities, soft down, and other features of the -hare,’ rhsible m-.a nmny
betray the mental character: of that pusillanimous .cre:;turc., Ti gait
‘ .?vUpon this principle, Aristotle ltreats of,thei corporeal features oftmanf
and the correspondentdispositions, so faras observedzshe illustratesthem
by the analogy just ,mentioned, ;and in .',s0m8iil15ti1I1$'8S attempts to ac-'
courit for them ‘by physiological s1'easoning.L,<; get -.1 ,1 1;. 1:.) w.-3:3; i 1.) .
At the em-A1y period in which Aristotle wrote, his theory, plausible
cma;n1y, ';m(l.even probable, displays lli.j'I1lS,ll1ll pcnetiatiorr,-.:'and neon-
sidcmbleg degree; ot'.lx'nowle(lge.' wHc, distinctly notices. individual phy-5'
5i0gri(‘)my,‘nationalplxysiognorny, (and' comparative.‘ physiognoxny.. i The
gate '(,f.;knoiv1edge in ,; his ,- time did , notnildmit lof . a coinplctet elucida-'
‘ tionof his gencral.prineiples;.dn that,account his enurnerationof par-‘
ticular .ob5c1'va‘.tions, and precepts; is. by no‘rneans so Well founded or‘ so
accurate as his method of study. Even his style, concise and energetic,
was’ ;inimical'to, the subject; which.-t‘obern1ad'c= clearly comprehensible,
‘must :require frequent paraphrases. : Aristotle's proforinance, however,’
suehas it is, has been taken as the groundwork and model of every
physiognomical treatise that has since appeared’. ' ’- - 1
The imitators of this great man in,.the' sixteenth and selventeenth cen-
turies, have even copied 'his lant, "We and manner, whichare ‘senten-A"
tious,vindisc1‘iminate, and obscure. His, comparative ipliysiognlomy" of
men with beasts has been frequently,‘ though’ not universally atloptctls
' Beside his treatisetcxpressly on;the subject;-,rna'ny incidental observations
on ' physiognomy will be found , interspersed.’
particularly in his history of: animals. i f p 3 n .
.Next after Aristotle, his disciple (and-successor Theoplirastns, would
deserve to be particularly mentioned as a writer on the subject in question.
His ethic characters, a singular and entertaining performance, "composed
at the age of ninety’-nine, form r a distinct treatise on a'most important
‘branch of physiognomy, the:physiognomy"of' mannc'rs. ' The accuracy
of observation, and liveliness of description displayed inithis work,lwill
preserve it high’ in classical rank, while the science'oF.mantand the
prominent characteristics of human society, continue to beobjccts of
attention. ‘ A A ' A A ’
through; his ' other ivorlis,
‘: " ;‘At
. Polemon of Athens, Adamantius the sophist, and several others,-wrote’
on the subject about the same period. In 1730; there was published‘ 8 -
collection of all the Greek authors on physiognomy. From the number
ofithesc authors, it..'appcars- that the science was much cultivated in
A aua-.2